Saya sedang bertanya kepada ibu tentang topi.

I am asking my mother about the hat.

Breakdown of Saya sedang bertanya kepada ibu tentang topi.

• saya: I
• sedang: currently
• tentang: about
• kepada: to
• ibu: the mother
• topi: the hat
• bertanya: to ask

Questions & Answers about Saya sedang bertanya kepada ibu tentang topi.

What is the function of sedang in this sentence?

Sedang marks an action that is currently in progress. It functions as a marker for the continuous tense, similar to the use of “am/is/are” with a verb ending in -ing in English, indicating that the action of asking is happening right now.

What does bertanya mean?

Bertanya means “to ask.” It is the main verb of the sentence, conveying the act of questioning or inquiring.

How is the recipient of the question indicated in the sentence?

The recipient is introduced by the preposition kepada, which translates to “to” in English. In this sentence, it specifies that the question is directed towards ibu (mother).

What role does tentang play in the sentence?

Tentang translates as “about.” It introduces the topic or subject of the question, which in this instance is topi (hat).

How is the overall sentence structured in terms of word order?

The sentence follows a standard structure where the subject comes first, followed by a verb phrase with a continuous aspect, and then additional phrases that clarify the direction and topic of the action. Specifically: • Saya (subject)
• sedang bertanya (verb phrase indicating an ongoing action)
• kepada ibu (prepositional phrase showing the recipient)
• tentang topi (prepositional phrase specifying the topic)
This construction clearly communicates who is performing the action, who is receiving it, and what the question is about.